2002 Dodge Ram Pickup SLT 4.7 from North America

Summary:

Faults:

General Comments:

I'm used to driving high HP vehicles, and this Ram has more than enough power; you just have to know how to use it. It has boat loads of torque out of the box (light the tires and start some fires).

I had an F-150, but it wasn't even good - it was poor actually. I have driven 2008 Fords and Chevy's, and they both rattle, have poor load and tow ratings, not to mention MPG; in my Ram with a bed cover I pull 19-21 on the hwy.

Also a guy on a motorcycle drove into me at 45 mph while I was parked, and all that happened to the truck was a small dent in the bumper.

20th Oct 2008, 18:38

Just wondering if you still had it, and if you did, do you have any problems with it running hot? I have an 02 Ram 1500 3.7 engine and it runs hot at high speeds after about 15-20 minutes of driving.

I replaced the radiator cap, two thermostats, had two diagnostics done and two radiator flushes and fills, the water pump check, all hoses and the fan seem to be working, everything seems fine until that twenty minutes at highway speeds then runs hot again. Or even after running the air conditioner it runs hot quickly, and the heater doesn't do anything to cool it down. It seems to be a common problem with this truck in different years, but the Dodge dealers refuse to admit it.

And of course the rotors! Had them turned not even a year ago, not quite 12000 miles, and they need to be done again.

2002 Dodge Ram Pickup BASE MODEL 4.7 from North America

Summary:

Dodge= plastic truck

Faults:

The Power Steering pump went out and the Pulley is made out of plastic. What cheap truck. For a 4.7L it doesn't have that bad of power, but the gas mileage sucks. I hate to drive the truck. To me Dodge put a small gas tank on these trucks. I'm also having the same problem with the drivers seat. I'll stick with my CHEVY S-10. That truck out does the Dodge all-day. I woundn't buy another Dodge. And I don't like the Body style of the new Chevy's. So I would go with a Japanes Truck.

2002 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 SLT 4.7 from North America

Summary:

Dodge, an extension of one's manhood

Faults:

Very little has gone wrong with my Ram, everything "all the gadgets" and primary systems are functioning properly. The only glitch seems to be the second gear shifting of the automatic transmission; it is a bit quirky when you accelerate quickly, but does fine on slow starts.

General Comments:

I owned a 1998 Ram before this 2002, and the truck has indeed been totally re-designed. It feels, drives and looks different all the way around.

My only gripe about the new Ram is it feels a bit bouncy and lumbering, steering around corners or at low speed turns. The steering is very tight, but almost seems too tight and too responsive, if that is possible.

The clearance between the steering wheel and the front seat seems to be affected by the new slant design of the hood, and the front doors as well. I find myself having to re-adjust my seat every time I get in and out.

These are to me small problems; we all know that every time you buy a new car, you have to get used to its way of doing things.

These are my only complaints; I had my problems with my other Dodge that this one doesn't have, such as noisy front end, gurgling like crazy on acceleration, rough ride, 7 miles to the gallon etc.

To sum all this up, the 2002 Dodge Ram is a gorgeous hunk of metal, that is well designed to have stage presence and road dominance. The ride for a truck is incredible, and the engine has plenty of power, the seats are comfortable, the instrumentation is attractive and functional, and that front grille has not been topped yet.